As I was settling down into my hammock, book in hand but eyelids heavy, the thought drifted across my mind that napping would be a good blog topic for the day.

I've always been fond of the mid-day snooze, so it's not a geezer-inspired activity ... activity? ... in my case. I recall coming home from high school and stretching out for half and hour or so, happily dropping off and waking refreshed and ready for whatever teen festivities might present.

All these years later, and a daily dip into the nap pool can still top me up for the rest of the day.

With little kids in the house, it's important that I time my siesta to coincide with theirs, which is easy enough if I force myself to shut down the computer and not take advantage of the peace and quiet to grind out four or five blog posts, a speech and a book chapter.

Thankfully, my nippers are good nappers ... Cj still asks for two a day ... so a routine of quiet time is part of our rhythm.

Anyone adding kids to their mix at a bit of an advanced age would be wise to seriously consider taking on the nap habit, even if they've been out of the daily doze practice since mom took the blanky away. Resting when the kids rest can make the difference between keeping up and running out of steam, and with patience waning with exhaustion a half hour's kip can make for a happier household.

But don't just take my word for it.

In "The Benefits of Sleep and The Power Nap" quotes research that suggests that a nap can make you more alert, reduce stress and improve cognitive function, as well as increase patience, make you more efficient and give a health boost.

Studies show that 20 minutes of sleep in the afternoon provides more rest than 20 minutes more sleep in the morning (though the last two hours of morning sleep have special benefits of their own). The body seems to be designed for this, as most people’s bodies naturally become more tired in the afternoon, about 8 hours after we wake up.

According to Dr. Deb, a self-proclaimed "Queen of Napping", a 30 minute afternoon snooze can seem a meditative experience and offer insights you might not be able to grasp during the deeper sleep at night.

In "Take a Nap! Change Your Life" author Jill Murphy Long casts naps as "creating a personal relaxation ritual" and insists that taking a break from daily demands should be considered a gift to yourself that will make life much sweeter.

Sweeter, maybe, and a look at some regular nappers shows that daytime shut-eye isn't bad for accomplishment, either.

If the question is, "What do the following people have in common: Albert Einstein, Leonardo Da Vinci , Thomas Edison, Winston Churchill, Johannes Brahms, John D. Rockefeller, Eleanor Roosevelt, Gene Autry, Nikola Tesla, Bill Clinton, John F. Kennedy, Napoleon Bonaparte and Salvador Dali?"

The answer would be, they're all proud nappers.

Now, guess what it's time for me to do ...